Soweto has long been a vibrant attraction for fortune
seekers from all over South Africa and further afield. Reggie Msomi and His
Jazz Africa attest to a pleasing accommodation of multiple roots, most probably
originally forged in the pulsating Pelican Night Club.
Soweto somehow always seems to effortlessly fuse the old and
the new, the young and the old. Leaders such as Msomi and Lemmy Mabaso had been
producing great music since the late 1950s, while other names appearing on this
album were yet to become famous – for example guitarist and singer Ray Chikapa
Phiri went on to form “Stimela”.
“On first alto sax Lemmy Special Mabaso from Diepkloof Johannesburg; on tenor sax Aubrey Simani from Meadowlands Johannesburg; on baritone sax Freeman Lombatha from East London, Eastern Cape; on tenor and guitar Reggie Msomi from Port Shepstone, Natal; on lead guitar Chikapa Phiri from Nelspruit, Eastern Transvaal; on bass guitar Richard Shongwe from Nelspruit; on drums Isaac Mtshali also from Nelspruit.” (from the sleeve notes).
If you have not heard the other great Reggie Msomi offerings on Electric Jive, do yourself a favour and use the ”SEARCH” function on the right hand column of this blog:
Recorded at the EMI
Studios in Johannesburg on 27th September 1976.
Recording Engineer;
Glen PearceProduced by West Nkosi
Soul Jazz Pop BL90
All tracks composed
by Reggie Msomi
1. Butterfly (6:20)
2. Soweto Grooving
(6:30)3. Lovers Party (6:00)
4. Nomndayi (7:00)
Rapidshare here
Mediafire here